Cherie A. Singer

Department: Pharmacology
Academic Unit:  School of Medicine
Title:  Research Associate Professor
Professional degrees (Degree, year, Institution): Ph.D., University of Washington, 1998

Contact Information

Mail Stop: 318
Phone: 775-784-8253 (office); 775-784-6822 (lab)
Fax: 775-784-1620
e-mail: csinger@medicine.nevada.edu

Research Area(s)

Cell Biology, Pharmacology

Research Interests

Regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs) has emerged as an important post-transcriptional mechanism by which short non-coding RNA molecules maintain genomic stability and silence gene expression by directing cleavage of mRNA transcripts or by interfering with translation. Differentially expressed miRNA have been increasingly correlated with disease and our laboratory is interested in how expression and functions of miRNA in the lung contribute to airway disease such as asthma. Asthma is characterized by increased inflammation and airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass, which leads to more work for breathing. Mechanisms by which normally contractile ASM cells secrete inflammatory mediators, growth factors and extracellular matrix proteins that alter the proliferative state of the lung are of active interest. Our laboratory is studying miRNA in ASM that contribute to ASM cell phenotype and determining the transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms regulating these processes. These studies will provide valuable insight into the role of gene-silencing mechanisms in ASM cells that will have implications for future treatment of airway disease.

Current Graduate Students

Andrew Kuhn

Other Lab Members

Shanti Rawat, Research Associate
Vani Kiliari, Research Associate

Selected Publications

Kuhn, A.R. Schlauch, K., Lao, R., Halayko, AJ., Gertthoffer, W.T. Singer, C.A. (2009) MicroRNA       expression in human airway smooth muscle cells: Role of miR-25 in regulation of airway smooth muscle phenotype. Am.J.Respir.Cell Mol.Biol.  In Press.

Salinthone, S., Singer, C.A. and Gerthoffer, W.T. (2004)  Inflammatory gene expression by human colonic smooth muscle cells. Am.J.Physiol.Gastrointest. Liver Physiol.  287:G627-G637.

Singer, C.A., Baker, K.J, McCaffrey, A., AuCoin, D.P., Dechert, M.A. and Gerthoffer, W.T.  (2003)  p38 MAPK and NF-kB mediate COX-2 expression in human airway myocytes.  Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol.  285: L1087-L1098.

Hedges, J.C., Singer, C.A. and Gerthoffer, W.T. (2000) Mitogen-activated protein kinases regulate cytokine gene expression in human airway myocytes.  Am.J.Respir.Cell Mol.Biol. 23:86-94.